Moses w



(No Model.)

M. W. KIDDER.

GAS PRBSSURE REGULATOR.

No. 376,313. Patented JanplO, 1888.

;Wg-21 W UNiTED SraTi-:s

PATENT Erica Mosns w. KIDDER, or LiNcoLN, `AssiGNoR To PERsoN NoYEs, orLOWELL,

MAssAoHUsnrTs.

eAs-PaEssuRE REGuLAToR.

SPECIPICATION running part of Letters Patent No. 376,313, dated January10, 1888.

Serial No. 86,663. (No model.)

.To all w'lwm it may concerlzf: l

Be it known that I, MosEs W. KIDDER, of Lincoln, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Imp'rovements in Gas-Pressure Regulators, of which the followingis a spe('ification.

The object of this invention is to provide a gas-pressure regulator'adapted to be used with [O gas containing a large proportion ofirnpurities and calculated to operate under very high pressure, snchasnatural gas is liable to, in` which the pressure of the gas shall be reduced to an economical point, or tosuch a point that itrcan be hurned atan economical pressure;

also, to prevent escape of gas through the regulator by undue andunforeseen pressure, such as natural gasis liable to.

To these ends my invention consists in the several improvements, which Iwill now proceed to describe and claim. I

Of the acconipanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a sectional view of a regulator embodying myimprovements. Fig. 2 represents a sectional view of a modification of asomewhat different construction. I i

The same letters of reference indicate' the same parts in both thefigures.

In the drawings, a represents the casing or Chamber which contains thefioating gasholder b, the latter being an inverted cylindricalreceptaelefioatingin mercury contained in an annular reservoir, c,between the external wall of the casing a and an inner cylindrieal wall,c', extending npwardly fromV the bottom of the casing a. Within theinner wall, c', is a second cylindrical wall or reservoir, a, having aclosed bottom and adapted 40 to contain mercury. Into theinnerreservoir,

a, projects an inverted cup, d, the lower portion of which is immersedin the niercury contained in said inner reservoir, said cup beingattached to the gas-holder Z). A tube, e, ex-

tends through the inner reservoir, a, and comniunicates with a chamber,f, into which the gas enters from the snpplying-pipe or street-main g.From said chamber extends downwardly a pipe, h, which is affixed to thecasing; The lower end of said pipe is provided with ser-rations, whichconstitute what may be termed a serrated valve-seat]7 arranged inoperative relation to a mercuryvalve, said valve being a mass of mercnryheld in an annular cup, j, which is attaehed to and support-ed by a rod,k, secured to the gasholder b and passing through the tube e, chamberf,and pipe h. Themercury-valve, therefore, rises and falls with thegas-holder. The serrated valve-seat is partially immersed in themercury-valve when the gas-holder is depressed to the lowest point, asshown, and the notches or openings in said valve-seat are i closed bythe inercury more or less as the cup rises and falls.

The inner cup, d, and pipe h are of the same area in cross-section, sothat the gas-pressure on the cup is the same as that on themercuryvalve, and thus variations of pressure in the main pipe areautomatically corrected. 79

The chamber fand inner mercury-reservoir, a,`are parts of an innercasing, which has a threaded oritice, m, into which the threadedsupply-pipe g is screwed, and an annular flat seat, a, surrounding saidorifice. The outer casing, a, has an nnthreaded orifice, q, coincidingwith the orifioe m, and a seat, o, surrounding the orifice q and adaptedto fit closely against the seat n. A jam-nut, p, on the pipe g outsideof the casing is turned up against said casing and draws the seat nclosely against the seat o, so that a tight joint is formed between saidseats, a suitable packing of red lead or other like material beingemployed.

To make the gas-holder b buoyant and counterbalance in a measure theparts supported by it, I provide its lower edge with an enlargement, b',of Wood or any material having a less specific gravity than mercnry,said enlargement being immersed at all times in the mercury contained inthe outer reservoir, c.

In 'using the regulator for natural gas,which is subject to suddenfiuctuations of pressure, I provide the supply-pipe or service-main witha safety valve or trap composed of a cup, 8, 9 5 having'mercury in itslower portion, apipe, t, extending down from the service-main and sealedin said mercury, and an escape-pipe, u, leading from the cup above theinercury seal, said pipe extending to any suitable point out- 100 sideof the building. The service-main g' may have asimilar safety-trap, asshown.

Then the gas-holder is raised by the gaspressure, it raises themercury-valve and covers or partially eovers the serrated end of thepipe h, thns shutting off the gas wholly or in part from the gas'holderZ). As the pressure in the service-main is redueed the gas-holderdeseends, opening the serrated end of pipe h and allowing more gas topass. The pressure is thus maintained at a nearly uniform point.

The smaller cup or gas-holder d, having an area equal to that of thepipe 71, receives the opposite end of said lever Bis suspended a valve,having a serrated lower edge partly .immersed in a mercury-valvc seat ina cup, E,

ou thebottom of casing a. A lever, F, pivoted at one end to a fixedfulerum, G, and conneeted by a rod, H, with the gas-holder Z), isconnected at its opposite end with the lever B by a rod, I. The cup dand valve t'reeeive the same gas-pressure from the service-main.

In this construction the pressure under the valve z' is balaneed by thepressure under the cup d, so that all variations of pressure in thestreet-main are automatically com pensated for, the result being thesame as in the construction shown in Fig. 1.

It will be observed that in either of the eonstruetions herein shown anddeseribed the admission of gas to the holder is regulated by a body ofmercnry and a serrated tube, the end ot' which projeets into themercury, this arrangement eonstitutinga mercury-Valve which is free fromthe objection to ordinary rigid Valves and valve-seats in this class ofcontrivanees-viz., liability of the valve to adhere to its seat, inconsequenee of the tar or other gummy matter deposited by the gas on thevalve and seat.

I am aware that a mercury-valve is not new in a gas-pressure regulator;but I am the first, so far as I am aware, to combineit with agasholderand a compensating-eup. By this combination I obtain a very satisfaetoryapparatus, whichdoes not reqnire frequent Cleaning.

I elaimw 1. The combination of the gas-holder b, the eompensating-cup(Z, the mereury-valve, the levers, fulerums, andconneetiiig-rods,\vliereby said valve and cup are connected with eachother and with the gas-holder, as set forth.

2. The combination of the gas-holder b, the buoyant'enlargement b' onthe lower edge of said holder, the compensating-eup, and themercury-valve, all arranged and Operating substantiall y as and for thepurposes set forth.

3. The combination of a gas-pressure regulator, the inlet-pipe g, theOutlet-pipe 11', the branehcs tt on said pipes, the traps s 8, receivingthe ends of said branehes, and pipcs u u, for the escape of gas foreedthrough said traps, as set forth.

4. The combination, in a gas-pressu re regulator, of the exterioreasing, a, having an unthreaded oriiee, q, and a seat, 0, surroundingsaid orifice, the inner casing having a threaded oritiee, m, coineidingwith the oritice q, andsurrounded by a seat, 71, the service main orpipe passed through the orifiee q and serewed into the orifiee m, andthe lock-nut p, serewed' upon said main or pipe and bearing on theexterior of the casinga, whereby a tightjoint is formed between theseats n and o of the outer and inner casings, as set forth.

In tcstimony whereof I have signed my name to this speei tieation, inthe prcsence of two subscribing witnesses, this th day of April, A. D.1887.

MOSES XV. KIDDER.

fitnessesz O. F. BROWN, A. D. HRRisoN.

